The lands around New Atricis that are regarded as Atricis' new territory. Not as big as their previous protective range, but still lots of space and wilds to explore. Dragon Flights and Wher Runs also occur across these lands.

[ Note: This thread takes place in multiple locations, and as such, will sometimes jump from one place to the next; the majority of it will take place within Atricis and its territory, however. ]

It as a cool, brisk morning. The forecast for Threadfall was easy enough, but everyone in the Wings knew that "easy enough" wasn't what they would necessarily call it. Less than usual perhaps, which was hardly a more accurate descriptor, but at the moment the Weyrsecond's mind wasn't trying to think of a better way to put it. His mind was on giving a couple of new riders to one of the Wing's prep for their first ride into the storm with Atricis before he inevitably had to move on to another rider, check on them, then move on and do the same. It was a habit of his that had formed since his first try as Weyrleader however many Turns ago that had been, and it was something he was likely to continue until... well, until he was ever knocked from a position in which he was no longer required to do such things as check in on riders across the board.

When he was finished speaking to the young riders, he clasped them on the shoulder and made his way forward, finished carrying on with one or two others, then made his way to speak with F'lin for a few moments. He still needed to make his way through one other Wing, having started early enough as always to complete as much of this duty as possible before everyone suited up, and having saved this Wing in particular for one very specific reason. K'rios, seeing his father coming towards the Wing, looked surprised at first to see him, then settled down a moment and lifted his hand in greeting, figuring he was making his rounds and shook his head at himself. "Doing the typical I see. Good flight to you today." He said to the man, keeping it professional between them.

L'van tilted his head in response and smiled. "We'll see you and the poppet soon." He nonetheless said, recalling that it had been a while since they'd had dinner together, and that made him think he was going to have to speak to Lerina again soon - it had been a while since he and the kids had gathered to enjoy a meal with one another. Why not get something cooked up. Perhaps come the end of the Turn, he thought, but right now, his mind was elsewhere. Duties, he thought, tucking it away to think of at another time. He clasped K'rios' shoulder as he passed, noting that Iktomith looked ready, checked on the rest of the Wing, and made his way towards Ay'li with a grin. There he nudged her with his shoulder and winked.

That wink said more than any words ever could. They'd said their piece to one another earlier, and he needn't "say" more than that. With a tip of his head, he departed, heading back to Star Storm and Zenjarth as F'lin and Mnenomth prepared to make the final speeches and calls to the Wings. Soon enough they were rising in the air to meet their ancient enemy.

Despite the forecast, the brownrider never slacked in her preparations for 'Fall. Trained in the North where Thread was far more of a threat to the lands below, they were taught to be ever vigilant. In the South however, the grubs have made their jobs a little easier. Ground Crews were basically obsolete, yet workers and handlers still scoured the lands below with flame throwers on the off chance a burrow made it through the grubs. While falling from the skies, the spore was still just as lethal, just as dangerous as ever before, yet there was a sense of laxity with these younger generations that have become spoiled by the grubs.

Ay'li ran her Wing with a firm grasp, and she was hard on them to learn the severity of what they were dealing with. Just because the grubs could eat the spore, didn't mean the riders were offered any of that protection up in the skies. All they had to rely on was their skill and prowess, expertise and training, and of course their bonded and wingmates. Wingleaders were responsible for all of that and more, and the femme brownrider was no exception and she pushed herself harder than anyone else.

Moving among her Wing, she checked in with everyone and make good natured comments about remembering their blind spots and reviewing some of those tricky turns during one maneuver. She was their leader, their safety rested on her shoulders, and yet she knew these men and women as friends and she cared about them outside of the Wing as welll. If she had her way, no harm would ever befall them, and yet she knew that anything could happen in those skies and she'd done her best to prepare them in every way she knew how.

With a final word of encouragement to the Wing, the femme brownrider stepped up beside her sandy brown and felt the presence of another stepping in closer. Grey eyes turned toward to the older man that approached her and as their gazes met, he winked at her. A simple gesture, and yet with it came the promise of so much more than just 'good luck'. She smiled back at him, a soft and private smile for the bronzerider, something that dipped down and let a little piece of her soul shine through, just for him. That was just how it was for them, so much said in such small gestures, and it suited them well. As the bronzerider moved on, Ay'li turned back to her dragon and checked the straps for the hundredth time before she mounted up and waited for F'lin's signal to take her Wing into the air.

-----

The 'Fall had lasted for over a candlemark now and they were nearing the end. The leading edge was moving closer and closer to the ocean shores where they could let it free fall and feed the fishes. This was no time to lose focus now, they were so close she could almost taste the cold mug of ale waiting her back at the Weyr. A whole round of drinks for the Wing, on her, because it looked like they were going to get out of this 'Fall without single scrape. Ay'li was not so naive as to start celebrating now, though it was a good goal to shoot for, and a way to congratulate her Wing on a job well done when they returned.

Look out! Norieth cried just as Ay'li saw the clump of Thread shift on the winds and came down right for one of her closest blueriders. The sandy brown dove to his right, flame lancing from his maw and aimed at the writhing mass. The heat only managed to clip the falling bundle, searing only a fraction of the spore while the rest continued onward on its' deadly path. Flerith, Jump! The brown ordered as he winged toward the pair and their ominous neighbor, and the blue only just seemed to register the Threads' proximity.

They could see it in the rider's stiffening posture, the shock freezing them for just that lingering moment too long. With a growl, Norieth gave into a burst of speed and threw himself between the smaller blue and the deadly menace. They shouldn't have hesitated, it would cost them dearly now as the spore collided with the mottled hide of the brown. Whiplike arms flailed as the Thread began to feed on the flesh, and for just the briefest moment the brown screamed and a trumpet escaped him just before the pair blinked away between to freeze the spore off his side.

They reappeared just a moment later, and with the next wingbeat the sandy brown faltered and tilted as his right wing practically buckled under the use. The Thread had landed in the crook of the dragon's wingshoulder and an oozing patch of ichor is all that remained. Unfortunately, riding straps were just as vulnerable as dragon hide and the spore had made short work of those as well, leaving the rider without anything to hold her in place. As the brown pitched right, so did her saddle and while hands grasped at the neckridge in front of her, Ay'li could feel that her grip wasn't enough.

There was nothing she could do but watch herself slide free from her place on the dragons neck and feel the open air cradle her. Nori! She cried out, a hand outstretched, trying to reach for the dragons' claws, his wing, anything she could grab onto as his bulk slipped passed her fingers. The sandy brown bugled with alarm as he felt her slip free, Ay'li! the dragon called out, doing his best to turn and dive after her. When he tried to use his wing again though, pain lanced through him and he nearly cried out again, yet instead only a growl escaped him as he tried to bear through it for the sake of his rider. She couldn't fall, she couldn't!

He could hear it, over the howl of wings, wind, and dragon fire, but it was clear enough to his sharp ears, and very distinct. A familiar bugle, brought to him, as though carried by currents specifically to him for his knowledge that something wasn't right. It made L'van's head whip to in the direction of her Wing, and instant panic laced through his chest. Zen... He tugged on the harness beneath him, as sense started to give way to the overwhelming need to go to her. Zen!

But the bronze resisted, growled, and pulled back at his rider. No! It was both warning and command, and the elder dragon pressed on his rider's mind, trying to will an equally stubborn mind back towards Fall, even if he knew L'van's thought process would be several clicks and lengths away from this point forward. Stay with me, Sullivan! You'll be no good to her if you get licked too!

It was enough to make him see some sense, and L'van's mind became unglued, however a minuscule amount, from the current panic, to turn forward, just in time to dodge a clump from wrapping around his head. A fresh panic, this time for another matter, washed over him, and he could just hear Ay'li in his head screaming at him for being so fucking careless.

Exactly. Now stay with me and let's finish this off. Besides, Iktomith is with them. And that would have to be comfort enough for now, even if his heart was still soundly weighed down in his belly, where it would remain until he could see her again.

Sure enough though, Iktomith had broken formation upon seeing what was happening with his Wingleader and his dragon, promptly surging up from the ranks in the hopes of being there should she fall. I'm here! The pewter called out to both, assuring them that no matter what, Ay'li would be safe.

She could feel the air all around her, rushing past her, cradling her in that emptiness. Above her, Norieth was fighting the air itself to reach her and yet she could feel his pain with every beat of his injured wing. Past him, her eye traveled toward one even further above them, one who couldn't reach her even if he tried, and one who shouldn't even try if he knew what was good for him. And yet she couldn't stop herself from searching for him, wishing to see him, even if it was the last thing she did.

The next instant, the breath was being pushed out of her lungs with the impact of hitting something solid beneath her. Even as her vision burst before her, there was the sense of relief knowing that someone had caught her. Through their bond, she could feel the wash of gratitude overcome Norieth and he allowed himself to give up the fight and leave his injured wing to dangle. The queens below were already gathering to catch the sandy brown, and now that his rider was no longer falling, it was his turn to fall.

Slowly her vision and breathing returned to normal and she glanced around her, recognizing the shimmering pewter hide of Iktomith and she lay in the plain of his back, K'rios seated not far from her. "I'm okay." She managed to breathe, assuring her wingmate of a job well done in rescuing his Wingleader. "Thanks K'rios, Ikto." Ay'li added, giving the dragon beneath her a grateful pat as well. The brownrider lay still for a moment or two longer, feeling for any pains and aches and finding a few areas that throbbed. Nothing broken she hoped, though bruised and battered, yes, yet she would heal in time.

Nori? You okay? The rider reached out, and could practically feel the sandy brown sinking into the support of the two queens that cradled him. I am, knowing that you're alright. The mottled brown said wearily, succumbing to the pain of his Threadscore and closing his eyes for the moment. Go with them back to the Weyr, I'll be right behind you. Ay'li assured her dragon, and soothed him from afar until she felt the void put distance between them. "Take us home K'rios." The Wingleader said softly, holding on tight to the pewters back and praying the whatever higher power there might be that she wont fall again.

K'rios didn't answer. He simply touched minds with Ikto and together the three of them jumped between back to the Weyr. Once they touched ground, the pewterrider slid from his dragon's back and turned to Ay'li, offering up his hands to give her a lift down. "I'll get you down." He called up, knowing he had to be careful - she was his Wingleader, a wingmate to the core, and he knew there was the chance of injury with that impact she'd taken against his dragon. Even so, there were healers pressing forward, and if he didn't get her down, one of them would.

Back on the sky's field, Zenjarth knew it best to to inform L'van of the news that Ay'li was safe, and who had her. Iktomith brought her back to the Weyr! Norieth follows and soon we'll be finished here. He could feel it against his back, that subtle sag of relief as his rider relaxed ever so slightly from the held tension of worry for another being. The rest was there, the necessary tautness that meant he was still vigilant for what was left to fight. Good. Now let's end this.

A partial candlemark later, as the trailing edge started to come into focus, the bronze reached for a touch more stone, wanting it in between his teeth for that final push, and sent a message to Norieth as he chewed; not wishing for his rider to hear, he kept it between himself and the brown, hoping he would pass it along to his own rider. Tell your rider to be prepared for L'van's return. And then it was time to return focus for that final push, but soon it would be time to go home.

The moment they returned to the Weyr, the Healers were practically waiting for them. The queens carefully deposited the sandy brown onto the ground beside the Infirmary tent, and Iktomith had landed not too far away. With K'rios' help, Ay'li was able to get down from the pewter, though the more she moved the deeper the aches shot through her. A hiss of breath was all she'd let onto though, leaning against the pewterrider as they made their way toward the Infirmary and nearest Healers.

Her wingmate divulged what happened, and Ay'li was carefully laid out on a cot close by so they could get a better look at her injuries. Once she was settled in, the Healers ushered the pewterrider to give them room to work, and he would be informed of his Wingleaders status once there was a report to give. While Ay'li lay on the cot, she gave K'rios a reassuring smile and waved him away, promising that she'll be fine and back at the head of the Wing in no time.

Except that Norieth wouldn't be flying any time soon. The healers had applied a thorough amount of numbweed to the gaping wound, but with Threadscore there was no ripped hide to stitch, or anything they could do to close the wound. When Norieth slipped into a fellis and pain exhausted slumber, the Healers will work on his injured wing shoulder, scraping away any damaged tissue and slathering the whole thing with any tonic they had to help promote quicker healing and then bandaged it as best they could. The last step was the pin the wing to his side, strapping it against his bulk so for the first few days of healing, he couldn't use the wing and potentially tear open the wound again.

Just before he drifted off into that blissful sense of calm, he heard a voice in his mind, a familiar call of a friend so far away. He knew what Zenjarth meant, that 'Fall was nearing it's end and they would be returning soon, and he gave a soft rumble of acquiescence, even if the bronze couldn't hear him. The 'Fall is almost over, the Wings will be returning soon, and someone will be eager to see you The sandy brown murmured into his riders' ear, closing his eyes as many hands made light work of his injuries. I'm just going to... Norieth started, his voice fading away.

Sleep dearheart, I'll be here when you wake. Ay'li assured the dragon and felt her other half fall quiet and peaceful in that place of slumber. She wished she could follow him, yet she'd refused the fellis and wanted to be awake when the Wings returned, when she could find out how the rest of them fared, when the reports came in. The femme brownrider was still a Wingleader first and foremost, and she would hear what else this Threadfall had cost them...

To say that his stomach was in knots would be an understatement. L'van's entire body felt like it was set in an intricate set of twists that he'd never be able to undo, even with the most steady fingers available on Pern. He grimaced as Zenjarth came in for a landing, wanting to dismount and go straight to a certain femme brownrider, but he knew he had to hold back from doing so, if only for a moment or two - there had been an injury in their own Wing that he needed to see to, and while Zen had said he himself would be fine, he wanted to look the bronze over before heading in the direction of Ay'li's cot. A quick check in with Fox wouldn't hurt either, and while he would have checked in with the woman on his mind, he knew once he spotted her, there'd be no tugging her away for anything less than an emergency.

I can let her know it will be a few moments. It wasn't question, nor suggestion, but outright statement, and L'van was thankful for the mind-to-mind connection of Zen at that very moment. He sent the bronze a grateful sensation and nod before turning back to what he was doing, at which point the dragon turned to the woman to speak to her. I do apologize for your discomfort, Ay'li, but my rider is a bit delayed. He is anxious to get to you though, and will be with you just as soon as duty will allow.

It took far too long for it to slip him free. In the end, K'rios came to fetch him, with the promise to tend to Zen on his behalf, little Norissa not far behind saying she would wash a foot for her Papa. It had soothed him, but not enough, and after kissing his granddaughter on the cheek, he hurried off to the infirmary in the hopes that Ay'li would be fine, that the twist in his chest would release him once he saw her. Of course it only tightened the closer he got, and he was certain he might need to sit once he asked for her at the front. Only he pushed forward, because she was right there...

And once he saw her, there was the relief he sought, but there was a fresh ache left in its aftermath, and the Weyrsecond, still dusted from Fall, still in leathers that stunk of ash and fire and between, pulled up a chair and drew it closer, a smile on his face as he reached out to touch her cheek. "Ace... you can't be going off and doing shit like this to me, you know that, don't you?"

After they thoroughly looked her over and poked and prodded at her, the healers had deduced she had at least one broken rib and her left ankle had been fractured, yet neither of those were life threatening. They rubbed a bit of numbweed on her ankle before having to move the joint back into it's proper position and for her sake, the brownrider did not cry out as they twisted her ankle back. With a splint and bind, they bandaged her foot and wrapped it into place, reminding the Wingleader to stay off of it for at least three, preferably four sevendays but they knew better than to ask a dragonrider to stay off their feet. Her ribs though, not much could be done about that except to bind her abdomen as best they could, put enough pressure on the bone to keep her from moving too much, and Ay'li groaned inwardly.

Bandaged as best they could, the Healers left her to tend to others who needed their care, as it seemed this 'Fall was not to be as causality free as they liked to hope. Ay'li propped herself up on the cot as much as possible and watched the going ons around her, hoping to hear what she could from Healers or other 'riders about the 'Fall and her friends. All the while, she knew there would be one coming to join her any minute now, and she waited patiently after Zenjarth had informed her he was tending to his duties. How could she fault him for that? Had their roles been reversed, she would have done the same, check over her Wing, check out any injuries, check out her dragon and make a report to the Weyrleader... Even Sully would have had to wait on her, so she could in turn wait for him.

And when he arrived, she could visibly see the wash of relief that struck his haggard looking features, the smile that seemed to brighten his whole mood when he saw her and Ay'li couldn't help but return the joyful look. When he reached her, she breathed deeply of the scent of dragonrider, the musk of man and dragonoil, of wind and ash, and sweat and wherhide, and she wouldn't trade that smell for anything in the world.

"Ace... you can't be going off and doing shit like this to me, you know that, don't you?"

The femme brownrider grinned at him, a knowing and affectionate grin as her fingers twined between his own. "Right, I'll try not to make it a routine of falling off my dragon then." She teased the bronzerider as he leaned in to stroke her cheek and for the briefest moment she closed her eyes against the touch, relishing in it. "You'll have to thank your son for some quick thinking, but the fall broke a rib or two, and the healers say I should stay off my feet for a month...Not like that's going to happen, but I'll try for at least a fortnite." The woman said, a wry sort of smile creeping over her lips as she regarded the bronzerider.

"Now, report... How'd the rest of 'Fall go, and don't leave out the details Sully, you know I'll find out sooner or later." Ay'li started, fingers curling into the palm of his hand and then splaying out once more, the subtle sign of longing and wanting more of him as that hand traveled a little further up his arm.

There was such sweet relief that she was there, and safe, and fuck K'rios was going to get a great deal of his gratitude once he was able to get ahold of the boy. L'van leaned forward and pressed his lips first to his forehead, then to the corner of her mouth, breathing her in for a moment even if the sting of medicine was the first thing that hit his nose. He had to remind himself that she was there, that she was still with him, and indeed she was.

"Flight was good, there were no great casualties, though we had a few injuries that will ground some of the riders for the next few flights. The Weyr has not suffered today, and save for your downgrade, no leadership roles were affected." He swallowed and couldn't bear to pull away from her shoulder, where his heade had found itself a place to rest for a moment while he spoke. It had been careful, not weighing itself too heavily, and it had been uncomfortable to be bent so for as long as he had, but it had been that food for his soul comfort that had caused him to remain so for so long.

Finally he sat up, and looked down at her, his fingers moving over her cheek, against the curls of her hair. "H'tai led your people proudly through the sky for the remainder of Fall. There were no other severe injuries save for the typical light burns that could be treated on the ground or in apartments." He held onto her hand after that, and just took the time to stare down at her, his face contemplative, his face concerned, his eyes deep with an emotion that was reserved for her alone.

Honestly, Ay'li was a bit surprised by the overt displays of affection from the bronzerider, though they had been set aside in a their own little sectioned off area of the Infirmary. Her injuries weren't severe enough to warrant more than a few candlemarks of observation, so they left her be for now and she'd likely go home once the dust of 'Fall settled. For now, they were fairly alone though and not many would be peeking in on the couple, so Ay'li allowed herself to try and enjoy these moments of open affection from Sully.

She listened keenly as he gave her a recount of the 'Fall, all the while her hand trailing languidly up and down his arm, or head leaning against his own for a moment when he settled against her. It was good to hear that the Weyr remained stable, for her own future absence of the Wing for the next fortnight at least, and to hear that H'tai took over with skill and aptitude had her smiling proudly. "It was you who taught him, I was just carrying on where you left off." She said softly about her Wingsecond, stroking the bronzeriders ego even more.

When he finally pulled away, Ay'li leaned back into her pillows, a soft smile on her lips for the older man, and when mossy grey eyes turned toward him, there was something in his look that caught the breath in her lungs. That glimmer in his eyes, the depth they showed her, the emotions that she could sense swelling up inside him and for a brief moment she thought it was just concern... but no, there was something more...

"Why are you looking at me like that Sully?" The femme brownrider teased softly, her hand rubbing against his forearm, never having taken away that bit of contact they shared. "I'm not dying or anything, and while Nori wont be flying for a while, he'll be right as rain soon enough too." She added, feeling the slightest sting at thinking of her dragons' injuries and wishing hers had been worse if only it could have spared the brown. Norieth wouldn't be able to use his wing for a while, but with some rehabilitation and time, he would be back up in the air and able to Lead in no time. "We're okay, I promise..." Ay'li said assuringly, hoping to ease any worries the bronzerider might be feeling about their health.